Surgical arm support



Sept 1953 c. H. SCHOELLER 2,652,059

SURGICAL ARM SUPPORT Filed Aug. 15, 1951 IINVENTOR. GHAHLEE H. scwaaum A TTO/WVEE Patented Sept. 15,1953

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SURGICAL ARM SUPPORT Charles H. Schoeller, San Diego, Calif. Application August 13, 1951, Serial No. 241,537

' 4 Claims. (01. 128--94) My invention relates to surgical arm supports, and its objects are to dispense with the loose uncomfortable form of bandage commonly employed as a sling and applied to the neck of the wearer to support his forearm or arm and to use in place thereof a more practicable and improved pendant or hanging support for the carriage, protection and comfortof such arm when injured or diseased; to render said improved support readily adjustable to, and detachable from, the neck of the wearer; to provide a twopart support, one part of which is in the form of an adjustable hanger closely conforming to the neck of the wearer, and the other part of which is a detachable carrier in the form of an open hook or loop conforming to the shape of the forearm, and allowing said arm readily to be inserted in said hook or loop and to be removed therefrom; to permit the suspension of said carrier centrally upon the chest of the wearer directly below his neck and equidistant from the sides of his body, so as to relieve stress and strain upon the injured arm and insure the comfortable carriage thereof; to render the parts readily accessible for inspection, adjustment, removal, replacement and repair; and in general to provide a surgical arm support which is simple and economical of construction, saving of labor and materials, effective in action and of prolonged life and durability. My invention further consists of other novel features of construction, and combinations and arrangements of parts i1- lustrated in the drawing and hereinafter more specifically pointed out and claimed.

Attention is hereby directed to the accompanying drawing, showing a preferred form of my invention, in which similar numerals of designation refer to similar parts throughout the several views, and in which- Figure l is an isometric view of said form of invention, showing the hook employed as a carrier, and detachably suspended from an adjustable neck band used as a hanger;

Fig. 2 is a view of the hook detached from the hanger, and showing more clearly the inclined slots of said hook by which attachment is made to the connectors of said band;

Fig. 3 is an isometric view of one of the catches, showing the same removed from its attachment to one end of the band, and

Fig. 4 is a view of the support, illustrating its application to the injured or diseased forearm of an individual.

Referring to the drawing, the neck band 5 is p ab y ma e of a fl t t p r band of cotton 2 webbing, canvas, plastic, or other suitable material. It is shaped to fit and to conform to the rounded neck and chest of a human being, and

" to rest comfortably thereon, and if desired may have applied to the inner face thereof a lining of soft material. Engaging with each end of the band is a connector '6, being formed of a flat rectangular shaped plate I of metal, or plastic or other suitable material, and having therein the two laterally extending slots 8 and 9 in parallel relation, and shaped and positioned to have roven therethrough and thereby adjustably secured thereto the adjacent end of said band. Extending downwardly and centrally from each of said plates and integral therewith are the flat upturned catches I0 preferably rounded at the ends thereof.

Shaped to engage with the forearm of a human being and to act as a carrier therefor, is the open hook H, preferably formed of a single flat strip of metal of sufiicient rigidity to maintain its shape, and preferably resilient in character. The opening of the said hook should be of such size and form as to permit the arm 13 of the wearer readily to be removed therefrom or allowing said arm to be inserted and to rest securely therein. As shown, the shank 12 of the said hook is of substantial length, and is perforated at its upper end to form the diagonal slots 13 and I4, inclined to make ready attachment with the catches l0 of the connectors 6, such catches conforming diagonally to said slots by reason of the encirclement of the neck band 5 and the approach of the ends thereof as shown in Fig. 1. Other means for detachably securing the shank of the said hook to the ends of said neck band obviously could be provided without departing from the spirit or purposes of my invention.

The hook I l while preferably curved in shape, may be square or polygonal in form and of any width or cross-section suitable for its purpose, and various standard sizes may be supplied. The said hook preferably is located directly in front of the breast bone of the wearer when the hook is centrally suspended from the neck band 5 so as to secure as much comfort as possible for the injured arm and to relieve stress and strain thereon.

In using my improved device, the neck band 5 is positioned to encircle the neck of the wearer and the ends of said band are engaged with slots of the connectors 6 in adjusted relation therewith to suit his requirements, and then the catches [0 of said connectors are made to engage with the inclined slots l3-|4 of the shank ll of the hook II; the emplacement of the parts being such as to locate the support in the position shown in Fig. 4. Whereupon, the forearm it of the wearer (bandaged if desired) is inserted within said hook, and the same is utilized for the purposes of the invention.

My invention may be embodied in other specific forms Without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiment as above set forth is therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of my invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which may come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A surgical arm support, comprising a neck band, connector plates detachably and adjustably secured to the ends of said band, a human forearm carrier, and means detachably suspending said carrier from said connector plates.

2. A surgical arm support, comprising a neck band, connector plates detachably and adjustably secured to the ends of said band; and a human forearm supporting and holding hook, the shank 4 of said hook detachably engaging with said Cuunector plates and suspending the hook therefrom.

3. A surgical arm support, comprising a neck band, connector plates having parallel spaced slots extending therethrough and adjustably secured to the ends of said band, and said plates having catches protruding outwardly therefrom; and an open hook, the shank of said hook having slots detachably engaging with the catches of said connector plates and suspending said hook therefrom.

4. A surgical arm support, comprising a neck band, flat rectangular connector plates having parallel spaced slots extending therethrough and detachably and adjustably secured to the ends of said band roven therethrough, and said plates having upstanding catches integral therewith;

and a fiat curved open hook, the top of the shank of said hook having inclined slots detachably engaging with the catches of said connector plates and suspending the hook therefrom.

CHAS. H. SCHOELLER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

